Headlight for automobiles and other vehicles.



H, W. BROWN.

HEADLIGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26.1917.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET T.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'I) INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTQRNE? H. W. BROWN. HEADLlGHT FOR AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26| I9Il.

Patented Feb. 2.5, 12H95 2 sHEETs-sHEEr 2.

ATTORNEY which for automobiles and HERBERT w. imown,V oE ASHLAND, genio.

' HEADLIGHT roi:I

To all whomz't may concern.'

Be it known thatI, HERBERT W, BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashland, in the county of Ashland and State of Ghio, have invented a new and useful Headlight for Automobiles and other Vehicles, of the following is l.a specification. This invention has reference to headlights other vehicles, and its object is to provide a headlight capable of giving partial or full illumination and of illuminating the roadway well in advance of the vehicle With the beam of light Sulliciently low to prevent intense glare from reaching the eyes of an approaching person or of a person toward which the vehicle is cent uppermost.

. define a Jfull circle ia suit-able 'ri-ng.

and one of the reflectors is moving.

Specification of Letters Patent.

appnation inea september 2e,4

AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER lvEmcLEs .raten-ted Een. 25, isis.

191.7. Serial No. 193,333.

..; filigs. 3 to 8 are views of dilerent parts entering into the 1n accordance with the invention, there is suitable casing which in general maybe similar to the casings of ordinary automobile headlights, and the casing is furnished with a glass front as is customary. The 'glass is held inthe Casin by fastened to the casing. gl`he invention dillers from ordinary headlights in that reflectors are provided preferably each of less areathan the front of the casing so arranged and related to theother reflector as to produce a crescent, or, in some i tances, a semi-circular appearance, with the horns of the cres- The 4other reflector may provided a appearance above the -crescent shaped reflector or light emitting portion of the headlight.

The invention also lhas to do with various structural features which will hereinafterA more fully appear.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection wit the accom anying drawings forming part of this speci cation, with the further understanding that, while the drawings show -a ractical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed and -mod'iied so long as such changes and -modiications come within the scope of the appended claims.

ln the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diamet a headlight embodying the invention;

in Fig. l;

and is usually located ing 8 therethrough, and this opening` isvvsur- `the casing is a 'c vertical section-of I opening 11.

structure; v

, Fig. 9 is a detail section through the junctiongiportion of'the upper'reliector and the lightl shield applied theretogf Figs."VA 10 and 11 are edge'and rear views respectively,l of a reflectingr plate Afor the lower reflector.

'Referringto-the drawings, there isshowna casing- 'l of approximately hemispherioal shape, although it may have more of the oval shape' is customary in headlights, if such particular shape is desirable.

The frontedge of the casing is formed ferential bead 2 with an in- I diametric'flange 3 having passages 4 at intervals. inthe particular showing of vs best appears in Fig. l

throughout its circumerential leng tl'1j,- v but preferabl has Wider side portions 5'than top and bottom portions 6. The casingl has a front opening 7 defined by the langeeB and because the. flange is preferably wider at the sides than the top and bottom, the opening 7 is elliptical. The passages l are arranged in more or less close relation to the opening 7 and consequently, the openings l arereferably in an elliptical series instead of 1n a 'circular series as they would l#he if equi-distant from the margins ofl the casing. I At a suitable pointthe casing has anopen'- tube 9 which may act simplyV as a 'conduit or may serve as a support for the headlight. y

VApplied to but spaced from the front-of face plate 10 which may have a shape similar to thatof the front of the cas-v ing except that instead of an like the opening 7 ,the face plate 10'has two openings 11 and 12 respectively, divided byfa connecting plate or we is shown as round with the connecting p 13 conformingrto the round contour of the opening 11. he opening 12 may have a rounded portion struck radius of approximately the same length as that of the opening 11, althou h the radii of the two openings may be ifferent. j T plate 13 is shown as struck from the same' center as the opening 11 and curvesfin the samemanner 'as the peripheral portion ofthe This results in the upper side ate elliptical opening f ico preferably on a opposite sides, and. at

of the opening 12 being concaved, 4so that the opening 12 as shown in the drawings and particularly in Figs. 2 and 3 is crescentshaped with the horns of the crescent uppermost. Face plate 10 vis provided with a peripheral flange 14 of circular outline to receive the bead 2 and at intervals corresponding to the perforations 4 are blocks 15 on what constitutes the inner face of the plate 10. Certain of thev blocks 15 have threaded passages 16 therein for the reception of screws 17 extending through the bead 2 and also through washers and entering the blocks l5 to secure the face plate to the body 1 of the headlight. 'The blocks 15 have'each a lip 18 thereon directed toward the central portion of the plate 10 and seated on these blocks is a glass pane 19 held against the innerface of the face plate by a packing ring 20 engaging the blocks and secured by the lips 18. A

Within the casing 1 back of the face plate 10 is a reflector 21 which may be, as is customary in headlights, lof 'parabolic shape. The reflector 21 has marginal portions 22 on what constitutes its top portion and also in the lside portions 22 there are produced tongues 23 b ent to extend through certain of the perforations 4 in the portions 5 and 6 of the flange 3 at the front of the casing 1. This serves to support the reflector 21 within the casin ,1 against accidental displacement when t assembled. Of course other used for the purpose.

At what constitutes the bottom of the retlectory 21 is an extended section 24 bent toward the vrear of the reflector' vfor a purpose that will be referred to.

means may be In each` side portion 22 of the reflector 21 is an uprlght series of slots 25, any 'one of which in the two series may be entered by tongues 26 in terminal portions 27 'of ya curved plate 28 havin a curvature on the upper edge correspon ing tothe curvature of the plate 13. The plate 28 has its lower` edge straight along a line '28, being bent back to form the flange 29, and is installed behind the glass 19 and in front of the lower edge of the reector 21.

of the upper ortion of reflector 30, as to be immediately behind the plate 13 when the tongues 26 engage in the highest ones of the slots 25. From such positionthe plate 28 may be dropped step by step ffor a limited distance determined by the number of slots in the series 25. The bent margin of the plate 28 being in the form ofan inturned flange 29 serves to stiHen the plate. The plate 28 serves as a light shield, and when dropped will change the crescent-shaped opening 12 to a semi-circular shaped opening.

eparts are all The plate 28 is sopositioned with the lower portion in front'.

- desirable to lower the level of the beam of light issuing from the re Within the casing 1 below the refiector 21 Lawaai is another reflector 30 having marginal tongues 31 engaging in those perforations 4 in the lower portion of the flange 3.

The reflectorl'30 is an incomplete parabola so as to fit snugly under the reflector 21 with its axis on about a level with the bottom of the plate 13 and of the plate 28 when the latter is in its lowermost position. rlhe ref.

l the tube 9.

The section 24 of the reflectorV 21 is so related to the lamp 33 in the reflector 30 that lightemitted by the lamp 33 will Abe diverted bv the, section 24 which is of a reflecting nature, in the direction which will cause it to strike upon the roadway close in lfront of the vehicle carrying the headlight, thus brilliantly illuminating such roadway without reaching the eyes lof anyn person close to the vehicle but in front thereof. n A By providing suitable switches either or both of the lamps 33 may be energized. If it be assumed that the lamp 33 within the reflector 21 is energized, then a full circular beam of light will be projected from the headlight forwardly of the vehicle and at about the heightv of the headlight. Such beam of light may be an intense beam and illuminate the roadway far ahead of the vehicle and can be utilized for travel in otherwise unilluminated roadways.

There are other places where such illumination is not desirable and is frequentlyy 'bea-in of light is prevented by the plate 13A and the lower portion of reflector 21 from rising to a greater height than the axis of the reflector 30, and as such height is customarily lower-than the extreme height permitted, about 42 inches, there is no liability ...of distracting glares being .produced to annoy persons approaching the headlight or toward whom the headlight is moving.

Should the conditions be such that it is rejected ector 30, the plate "28 is `lowered and the beam of light is correspondingly lowered and is then remesa l j than two screws or of the employment of other fastening dev1ces than screws.

It is not obligatory that the reectors be of the particular shape and size indicated or that the reflectors together define a more or less oval formation, since these parts areA susceptible of considerable variation. However, it is preferred that the reflectors be in superposed order with the higher reector ro-und and the lower reflector of crescent shape with the horns uppermost.'

The straight lower edge of the upper re- -flector is important in providing a circularv upper beam of -light and .a semi-circular lower. beam of light in the event of the plates 13 -and Q8 being omitted. It is unnecessary that both reflectors be contained in one casing so long as they are associated in substantially the manner described. In Figs. 10 and 1.1 there is shown a plate 35 having a Hat surface and at one end bent at an angle as shown at 86 and notched at 37 so as to fit between the reflector 21 and its flange 24, with the angle portion 3-6 bef hind the lamp 33 and with the notch 37 embracing the base of the lamp.

This increases the outward and downward reflection of the light.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1. A headlight havingtwo closely associated superposed reflectors with clear glass fronts, the high reflector being round at the light emitting opening and the lower reflector having itslight emitting openingdefining less than a full circle, and opaque means located in front of and between the reflectors Land extending downwardly. into in'tercepting relation to the path of rising beams of li'ghtfrom the lower reflector4 and of a width to cover the adjoining parts of both reflectors, whereby the r1sing beams.

of Alight are cut off and the production of glare above the level of the opaque'means is prevented.

2. A headlight provided with two closely associated superposed reflectors, the upper reflector defining a full circle and the lower reflector defining aA crescent with the horns uppermost, a clear glass front for both reflectors, and opaque Ameans of a width to cover ad'oining partsl of both reflectors and thereof, and

' located at the top of the light emitting'opening of the lower reflector at substantially the optical axis of the lower' reflector, whereby rising beams of light from the lower reflector are out o and the 4production of glare above the level of the opaque means is prevented. y

3. A headlight provided with two closely. associated superposed reflectors, with the emittingend ofthe upper. reflector definingr a full circle, and a connecting plate conforming Ito the junction line of the reflectors.

4. A headlight provided with two closelyv associated superposed reflectors, with the light-emitting opening of the upper reflector defining a full circle and the light-emitting opening of the lower reflector defining less than a ful-l circle, and a cover plate for the' associated reflectors having superposed openings therethrough, one of circular conformation and the other of crescent conformation with the horns toward the first-named opening, and said cover plate including a web .per reflector defining a full circle at its light emitting end and the lower reflector defining crescent with the horns uppermost, the upper reflector being of a different area from the lower reflector, and an adjustable light' lshield between the two reflectors, the adjustment of the shield being in an up and down direction.

6. A headlight provided with two closely associated superposed reflectors with a plate in front of the reflectors at the junction a light shield associ-ated vwith the plate and provided with a straight bottom. port/ion, said light shield being adjustableuip and down to increase and decrease the effective extent ofthe light shield.

7. A headlight provided with two closely associated superposed reflectors with av plate in front of the reflectors at the junction thereof, and alight shield associated with the plate and provided with a straight bottom portion.

8. A headlight provided with two closely associated superposed reflectors, the lower reflector having therein a forwardly7 and downwardly .slanting light-diverting reecting surface directly overlying and close to a lamp in the reflector to throw a beam of lightdownwardly in front of andrelatively close to the lower reflector.

A headlight provided with two closely associated superposed reflectors having a light shield between their adjacent portions ist' and adjustable up and down, with the optical axis of the upper reflector substantially c-entral theretd and the optical axis of the lower reflector substantially in line with the lower edge of the light shield between the two reflectorsv when said light shield is in its lowered position, and the optical axes of the two reflectors being substantially parallel one with the other, whereby the light beams from the reflectorl are similarly projected with the light beams from the lower reflector confined to the height of the lower edge of the light shield above -the surface over which the headlight is located.

l0. A headlight provided with two closely associated superposed reflectors with a 'separating web betweenl their adjacent portions, y

` defining a yfull circle andan adjustable light the upper refieetor having its optical axis substantially central to the reflector and the lower Vreflector stantially in line 'withthedivision web between the -two reflectors, and said headlight having a light shield located adjacent to the division web and adjustable up and down to vary the effective height. of the light shield. l1, A headlight provided with two closely associated superposed reflectors withina single casing, the upper reflector having the lower part of its marginal portion bent rearwardly to produce alower straight horizontal edge. y v

l2.' A headlight provided with two closely associated superposed reflectors within a single casing, the upper reflector having the lower part of its marginal portion bent rearwardly to produce a' lower straight edge, a web in front lof the lower edge of the upper reflector, and a light shield between the web and said lower edge of the upper reflector.

having its optical axis sub-- circular.

megane light shield located inthe space between the adjacent edges of the superposed openings and -adjustable to reduce the upper portion of the effective area of the loweropening.

14. A headlight providedl witl't'wo closely associated superposed reflectors within a single casing, with two lightopenings through which the light is projected, one opening shieldi.novable with relation to the other opening to shape its effective light emitting opening as a semi-circle.

l5. `Ai headlight Iprovided with two closely associated superposed refiectors within a single casing and having two light openings at the front of the headlight, one opening defining a full circle and the other opening defining a crescent with-the horns uppermost, and a light shield adjustable over the upper portion of the lower light opening and having a straight lower edge whereby the crescent-shaped opening may be made semiln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto ahxed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT W. BROWN. Witnesses:

EARL S. DETTINGER,

J. 4C. FRENTZ. 

